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ABSTRACT A brief overview of a project, usually 1/2 page or less immediately following the face page or cover sheet. Allowable Cost A cost for which an institution or agency may be reimbursed under a grant. AOR (AUTHORIZED Organizational Representative) The administrative official who on behalf of the proposing organization is empowered to make certifications and assurances and can commit the organization to the conduct of a project that the funding agency is being asked to support as well as to adhere to various funding agency policies and grant requirements. Application The formal document submitted by a potential grantee seeking funds. The application is the most complete presentation of the project and is often the basis for the grant agreement. -see also PRE-APPLICATION and GRANT AGREEMENT. APPROPRIATION A federal, state or local legislative enactment which allows government agencies to incur obligations to spend or lend money during specific time periods, usually a fiscal year. Congress may appropriate funds only on the basis of an existing authorization. ASSURANCES Statement concerning the institution's or organization's compliance with Civil Rights, Title IX, Section 504 guidelines, lobbying, etc. Assurances are required with many proposal applications. Audit (Financial) An examination of an agency’s accounting documents by an outside expert. Upon review, the expert prepares an opinion as to consistency and conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principals. Audits are generally conducted after the end of the fiscal year. Some grant programs require an audit of grant funds at the end of the project. Audit (Program) A review of the accomplishments of a grant funded program by the staff of the funding agency. A program audit may be mandatory or random. -also known as Monitoring. AUTHORIZATION Basic substantive legislation that sets up a program or agency. Such legislation sometimes sets limits on the amount that can subsequently be appropriated but does not actually provide money or guarantee that monies will be appropriated in any given fiscal year. AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE Signature of person legally responsible for making agreements on behalf of an organization; must appear on an application before it can be considered an official request; implies that if an award is accepted, the responsibility for its proper administration is assured. The Vice President of Finance is CSN’s authorized signer. AWARD The document, which may be a letter, a special form, or a contract, prescribing the amount of awarded funds and restrictions imposed. AWARD LETTER Formal written notification from funding agency or organization that a proposal is to be funded, start and end dates, and the amount of the award. Research that adds something new to the body of knowledge in a particular field, as opposed to applied research that studies the relationship and/or applicability of theories or principles of a particular field to the solution of a problem. (Example: Research on the regeneration of cells is basic; studying how the regeneration of cells is related to tumors is applied.) Beneficiary A member of the target population for whom the grant was prepared. For example, a student attending adult literacy classes would be the beneficiary of a grant, while the school district would be the grantee or grant recipient. Block Grant An unrestricted federal grant that groups many categories into a greater functional area. BOILERPLATE Sections of a proposal applicable to a variety of requests, e.g., organizational descriptions, professional resumes, etc.; often maintained by organizations submitting numerous proposals in order to reduce preparation time. BUDGET Financial plan for conducting a project; should include whole dollar amounts only. It is the estimated cost of performance of the project as set forth in a proposal or in the notification of grant award or contract. A plan for the coordination of income and expenditures for a given time period and purpose. BUDGET DETAIL An itemized list of expenditures and income that accompanies a narrative proposal. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION / Narrative (BUDGET EXPLANATION) A detailed description of the budget items, justifying how dollar amounts were determined by showing their relationship to the project activities. A data-collection method in which an entity, a person or situation is studied in depth over a period of time and through a variety of data. Usually includes a summary based upon both qualitative and quantitative data and may contain anecdotal information. Cash Match The amount of cash contributions provided by the institution toward the total overall budget of a grant project. Challenge Grant A grant that must be matched with money raised by the recipient. Competitive Funds Funds available on a limited basis. Proposals are selected for award based on how successfully they have met the criteria of the funding agency. CONSORTIUM A group of organizations sharing in the finances, administration, and/or activities of a grant project to collectively accomplish what no one member could accomplish alone. CONSORTIUM GRANT Award made to one grantee in support of a project being conducted in conjunction with one or more other participating organizations. CONSULTANT A person with expertise who is brought in to lend insight, advise, do workshops, etc. COVER LETTER (TRANSMITTAL LETTER) Letter of transmittal accompanying a proposal submission. Cost Reimbursement Contract Issued based on estimated costs of performing specific tasks or services. Contractor is paid for actual costs incurred up to a previously negotiated ceiling with the funding agency. COST SHARING Financial contribution by the grantee to a project supported primarily by a grant or project; typically less than one third of the total cost; more common to research grants; a form of matching. -see Matching Contributions Date after which a proposal will not be accepted for review; often stated as a receipt date or a post mark date. -see Post Mark Date Demonstration Grant Usually a relatively short-term grant which seeks to test the feasibility of an idea, approach or program. Expenses which can be itemized and for which vouchers or payroll records can be presented for payment. These expenses include salaries and wages, fringe benefits, supplies, travel, equipment, printing, duplication, etc. that are specific to the operation of a project as allowable under the grant. Disadvantaged Individuals who, because of physical, emotional, economic or other reasons, are unable to adequately compete within the context of an educational institution. DUNS Number Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS number is a nine digit number assigned by Dun and Bradstreet Information Services. Date award is made, allowable project costs may not be charged to the project until this date. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Direct expenditures by an organization on behalf of its employees for such items as workman's compensation, disability insurance, unemployment compensation, Social Security, life and health insurance, and retirement. Usually fringe benefits are calculated as a percentage of salaries. (See Fringe Benefits.) EQUIPMENT GRANT Award to be used exclusively for the purchase of equipment; typically for educational or research purposes; usually requires a 50% match by the grantee. EVALUATION A quantitative assessment of what was, or was not, accomplished by a project; a comparison of project objectives and actual project outcomes; an increasingly important part of proposal writing and project management. EXPIRATION DATE Last date of a project; no charges may be made to a project after this date. -see Grant Period Earmark Grants Earmark grants are grants that are appropriated by Congress prior to a peer review. The term "earmark" is a reference to the Congressional Record where the awards are written into the legislation specifically with the grant applicant's name, activity and dollar amounts. Empirical Research Research that seeks systematic information about something that can be observed in the real world or in a laboratory. Enabling Legislation -see AUTHORIZATION Extramural research Research that is conducted by non-agency personnel and funded by the agency. First page of a proposal; identifies project title, agency to which proposal is submitted, project director's name, title, address, project duration, total dollar request, submitting organization's name and address and the name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign for submitting organization. FastLane This is the online mechanism that must be used to electronically submit grant applications to the National Science Foundation. For more information, please call the Resource Development Department. Fiscal Year (FY): A 12-month accounting period at the end of which the books are closed for an agency or government unit. Agency-wide financial audits are conducted after the end of the fiscal year. Formula or block grants: Grants allocated by the federal government to state agencies based on a mathematical formula rather than through a competition. These funds are often re-granted within the state on a competitive basis. FELLOWSHIP An award directly to an individual in support of specific educational pursuits. FISCAL YEAR (FY) Usually a 12-month period for which funds are appropriated and during which expenditures must be made. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. For example FY 2009 covers the period October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2010. CSN's FY, along with that of state and local governments, is July 1 to June 30. FY for many corporations is the same as the calendar year, January 1 to December 30. FORMULA GRANT Funds made available on the basis of a specific formula used by the granting agency and prescribed in legislation, regulation, or policies of that agency. The funds are awarded on the basis of demographic and economic data. Forward Funding Funds are appropriated in one fiscal year to be spent in the following fiscal year. FOUNDATION Organization established to disburse funds for philanthropic purposes; usually privately endowed. FRINGE BENEFITS Benefits such as life and health insurance, retirement, unemployment compensation and workers compensation that are paid in addition to salary. FTE (full-time equivalent)enrollment The equivalent number of students enrolled on a full-time basis, determined by dividing the total number of credit hours for which all students are enrolled by the average number of credit hours in a full-time load. The amount of time spent or required in an activity or position that is calculated as a percentage of a full time position on an annual basis. A person hired for a 12 month period to work 20 hours/week if a full week is 40 hours would be considered to be 0.5 FTE. Funding Agency The agency, foundation or governmental unit that awards grants. -also known as Funder Funding Criteria A statement of goals or objectives which should be addressed in a proposal and which will be used to measure the quality of the proposal. May be published in the Federal Register in place of separate guidelines. -also known as selection criteria. Funding Cycle The schedule of events starting with the announcement of the availability of funds, followed by the deadline for submission of applications, review of applications, award of grants, issuance of contract documents and release of funds. If funds are reappropriated or remain on hand after the first funding round, the cycle may start again. -see APPLICATION, PRE-APPLICATION, and GRANT AGREEMENT Those requirements that must be met by the institution in order to receive state or federal funds (for example: compliance with drug-free workplace standards, non-discrimination and a limit on funds spent on lobbying). Gift A flexible, irrevocable award (of money, equipment, or other property) provided by a donor with few or no conditions specified (such as contractual requirements, specification of a period of performance, or formal financial accounting). GOALS General statements of anticipated project outcomes; usually more global in scope than objectives and not expected to be measurable; if used, goals should be supported by well-stated objectives. Grant An award made on the basis of a proposal that typically sets out a series of conditions, such as specific objectives, work plan, timetable, formal financial accounting, and reporting obligations. GRANTEE Any legal entity that assumes financial responsibility, accountability for managing awarded funds, supervision of grant-supported activities and submission of final reports. GRANTOR Individual, agency or organization which has agreed to provide financial support in the form of a grant. - also known as a funder. Grant Agreement A contract entered into by a grantee and a funding agency. Typically based on the application submitted by the grantee, the Grant Agreement commits the grantee to carry out certain activities, within a stipulated time frame, for a specific amount of money. The Grant Agreement often refers to, or incorporates, regulations that govern the use of grant funds. It is important to note that the Grant Agreement may include more restrictive conditions than were originally proposed by the funding agency or are required by law. The Grant Agreement may also be for less money than originally sought. GRANT PERIOD Begins on the effective date and ends on the expiration date; the period of time agreed upon by the grantor and grantee during which a funded project is in operation; allowable project costs may be charged to the project only during this time. -see Expiration Date GUIDELINES Directions to follow in preparation and submission of a proposal; usually but not always provided by the funding source; more commonly available from government sources or larger foundations. A non-cash donation of labor, facilities or equipment to carry out a project. Typically, skilled and professional labor can be valued at the prevailing rate for the field. Work performed by a professional or skilled laborer outside of their field, however, is generally computed at some standard or minimum wage. IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION A service or item donated in lieu of dollars to the operation of a funded project; usually given by a third party; e.g., donated equipment, percentage of an administrator's time, or guest speaker's time. INDIRECT COSTS (OVERHEAD) Costs that are incurred for several purposes necessary to the operation of the institution and therefore cannot be specifically identified with a particular project or activity. At educational institutions these costs would include general administration and general expenses, operation and maintenance expenses, library expenses, departmental administration expenses, and student administration and services. Most government grants and some private foundations specify a rate for charging indirect costs to a grant budget. Some agencies do not allow indirect costs. If there is no stipulation, the proposing institution applies its own indirect cost rate, based on a specific formula for calculation. They are usually expressed as a percentage of total direct costs. Intramural or “in-house” research Research performed by the agency or staff. IRB (Institutional Review Board) A specially constituted review body established or designated by an entity to protect the welfare of human subjects recruited to participate in biomedical or behavioral research. Local Educational Agency - generally refers to a state education department or local school district. LETTER OF INTENT A brief letter containing a description of a proposed project, an estimated budget, and information on the applicant. Sometimes it is required to allow the funding source to screen out ineligible applicants or projects not consistent with the program's priorities. This screening saves considerable time for both the source and the applicant. Letter of Intent A letter of intent expresses a grantor's willingness to commit funds to a project if other conditions are met. This letter allows the grantee to seek other funds without firmly committing the grantor to the project. It may also be a letter requested of the potential grantee so that the funding agency will know how many full applications to expect. Likert-Scale An evaluation design frequently used on surveys to measure opinion, satisfaction/dissatisfaction, etc. An example would be a rated response to this statement: "The project's organizational structure accommodates the effective distribution of duties and responsibilities." (1) Strongly disagree --through to- (5) Strongly agree Cash or "in-kind" support contributed by the college to fulfill objectives of project. Amount of needed matching funds varies with program. Many funding sources will pay only a percentage of the cost of a project. The grant recipient is required to pay the difference with money or non-cash donations from other sources. Monitoring -See AUDIT (PROGRAM) Often referred to as the Statement of Need or Problem Statement, it is the part of your proposal that must convince a potential grantor of the critical need for your project. It must relate to the goals and purpose of the grantor and should utilize statistical evidence and expert statements or testimony. Noncompetitive Grant Federal or state monies allocated based on a set formula prescribed by the legislation that authorized the funds. Recipients may or may not be required to submit proposals. The Carl D. Perkins grant administered by the state is an example of a noncompetitive grant. Not-For-Profit / Non-profit An incorporated organization in which stockholders and trustees do not share in profits. Not-for-profits are usually established to accomplish some charitable, humanitarian or educational purpose. -also known as a 501(c)(3) OBJECTIVES In a proposal, the objectives are specific statements of anticipated project outcomes. Objectives are stated in measurable terms and tell the grantor who will do what, when, how much, and how it will be measured. For example: "At the conclusion of the six-week summer computer camp, at least 90% of the students in the program will demonstrate a pre-to-post skills level improvement of 85% or more in at least 3 software programs." The act of a grantee receiving grant funds and dispersing those same funds to a sub-grantee. It is common for the grantee to perform the Program Audit of the Sub-Grantee. A portion of the grant funds are often retained by the Grantee to cover the cost of administration. Funds received by an agency or organization for a specific purpose who then conducts its own grant process for awarding those funds to other organizations. Examples would be scholarship programs, Carl D. Perkins grant, and block grants to states and counties. PDF (Portable Document Format) The National Science Foundation requires that a PDF file be submitted for the Project Description of a proposal and allows PDF file(s) for each of the proposal sections except the cover sheet and budget forms. PDF files allow users on different platforms (e.g. Windows, Mac and UNIX) to view files as originally intended by the author, if created properly. Performance-Based Grant A type of grant where costs are reimbursed up to the amount earned by documenting the achievement of promised deliverables &/or outcomes. Performance-based Contract A contract in which specific units of service have specific costs and the grantee is reimbursed for funds expended on the number of units performed within a certain time period. Pipeline An informal term for grant applications that score well, but fall just short of being awarded. If additional money is allocated to the program, or if funded projects do not materialize, a grant application "in the pipeline" may be funded. PLANNING GRANT An award made in support of the planning stages of a future project. POST MARK DATE The last date which may be affixed by the Post Office in order for a proposal to be considered for funding; set by the funding source. -see Deadline PRE-APPLICATION A condensed version of an application. A prospectus following a prescribed format developed by an agency and utilized to screen proposals. Preliminary screening process to identify potentially fundable projects. It is often used by Grantors to determine which applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Some government agencies and some private funding organizations utilize this process. The US Dept. of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Post-secondary Education (FIPSE) program is an example. -see Preliminary Proposal PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL Occasionally required by a funding source as a first step in the submission process; a proposal containing only the essentials necessary to convey the idea to be proposed more formally at a later date. -see Pre-Application Principal Investigator (PI) The individual designated by the grant recipient and approved by the National Science Foundation (NSF) who will be responsible for the scientific or technical direction of the project. PRIORITIES Funding sources develop annual program plans that include objectives and areas of emphasis. The areas of emphasis are called priorities, and the source awards grants for projects which most closely relate to those priorities. Priorities for federal grant programs are published in the Federal Register. Pro forma Latin for "as a matter of form." Pro forma figures are the projected, proposed or hypothetical set of numbers for a project, typically the budget. Project Director The person responsible for directing and managing the project for the college. Usually refers to the head of a training or service project (as opposed to a research project); has the same responsibilities as a principal investigator. PROJECT PROGRAM OFFICER The federal or state agency representative who has the task of monitoring the project, providing technical assistance to the project and insuring that the objectives are carried out within the framework of regulations. PROPOSAL A written document submitted to a funding source requesting financial support to undertake a project. RFP / RFA (REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL) Announcement distributed by a funding source to potential grantees defining in a general way the type of project proposals desired, same as a Request For Application (RFA) or Request For Qualifications (RFQ). Regulation Requirements for the operation of a program, published in the Federal Register (FR). Request for Proposal/Request for Application An announcement by a funding agency that it will accept proposals to accomplish a specific purpose which is outlined in the Request guidelines. This competitive process results in the award of a contract or grant. SEED MONEY A small grant for the purpose of getting a project started; it is assumed that the project will be able to attract additional external funds following the "seed grant" period. SITE VISIT A final step in the review of some proposals; involves a team of evaluators from the funding source who examine the project facilities on location; includes a review of project plan and objectives with key personnel; an encouraging sign to the project director, occasionally conducted during the life of a project. SRO (Sponsored Research (Projects) Office) A term used primarily by the National Science Foundation. At MCC the Resource Development Department would serve as the SRO. Sub-Recipient A recipient of pass through grant funds from a grantee and not directly from the funding agency. A sub-recipient is held to all of the regulations of the original grant plus any conditions added by the grantee. The amount of funding that you are requesting in your proposal. This amount is most often first stated in the Project Abstract or Executive Summary of the proposal. TITLE A major section of a piece of legislation, e.g., Title I Higher Education Act, 1965. Unsolicited Proposal A proposal that is submitted without any prior contact or invitation to submit from the funding agency. 990-AR Form of the annual reports that foundations submit to the Internal Revenue Service and to the state attorney general's office. ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act BID: Business Improvement District CBO: Community Based Organization CDC: Center for Disease Control CFDA: Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance CFR: Code of Federal Regulations ED: U.S. Department of Education EPA: Environmental Protection Agency GAAP: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles HUD: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development IRB: Institutional Review Board OSHA: Occupational Health and Safety Administration OMB: Office of Management and Budget NSF: National Science Foundation QRT: Quick Response Training VA: Veterans Administration |
